


Courier

by hummerhouse



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Anal Sex, Complete, Injury, Language, M/M, Oral Sex, Turtlecest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-18
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-15 07:39:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4598412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hummerhouse/pseuds/hummerhouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.<br/>Word Count: 17,606<br/>Summary: Raphael discovers that Michelangelo is leaving the lair at night without telling anyone, but his evasive younger brother won't tell him what is going on.<br/>Pairing: Raph/Mikey<br/>Ratings vary: PG-13 to NC-17 for turtlecest, language<br/>~~Kiriban request for orangebarmy. Story behind the story: ob's request dovetailed beautifully with a R/M story idea that was sitting in my bunny pile. Because the original idea was meant to be a multi-chapter story, the kiriban prize was expanded beyond a one shot. I really can't help myself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

            Raph woke with a start and sat partway up, not sure what had awakened him. The rough edges of a completely innocuous dream told him that it wasn’t a nightmare and after listening for a moment, he concluded that it hadn’t been some out of place noise.

            Rubbing a hand across his face, Raph yawned widely and realized he was thirsty. Glancing at the water bottle on his nightstand, Raph saw that it was empty. After another healthy yawn, he rolled out of his hammock and headed downstairs.

            The lair was exceptionally quiet. Raph noticed that no one was sitting up to watch television and the door to Don’s lab was open, the room dark. Likewise there was no light coming from the dojo or his father’s room; everyone seemed to have gone to bed early.

            Reaching the kitchen, Raph opened the fridge door and grabbed another cold bottle of water, uncapping and chugging half of its contents before closing the fridge. With his thirst satisfied, Raph contemplated a return to bed but found that he was now wide-awake.

            A cocky grin lifted one corner of his mouth as he thought of a good way to get sleepy again. Mikey still owed him from a couple of weeks ago when he’d made Raph miss the last half of a ball game because the younger turtle was too horny to wait for it to be over.

            Walking towards the staircase, Raph automatically glanced up towards Mikey’s bedroom and then came to a quick stop. Mikey’s door was open and the lights were off.

            Mikey never left his door open when he was sleeping; it was one of his personal quirks. Turning towards the living area, Raph took a peek at the couch to see if his brother had fallen asleep there, but found that it too was empty.

            There was always the possibility that Mikey was sharing Don or Leo’s bed. If Mikey _was_ with Donatello that would certainly explain why the genius wasn’t working in his lab; it wouldn’t be the first time Mikey had coaxed him out with lewd promises. Normally Raph would have shrugged it off and gone back to bed, but he had an uncomfortable sensation that something wasn’t right.

            Bounding up the stairs, Raph first approached Don’s room. As quietly as he could, he turned the knob and opened the door just enough to take a look inside. The light from a computer monitor showed him that Don was sleeping alone.

            Next Raph tread silently down to Leo’s room. Before trying the door, Raph listened for sounds but heard nothing. He then put his face near the door jamb and inhaled deeply, hoping to catch the scent of his youngest brother. Unfortunately, all he could smell was the sandalwood from the candles Leo burned.

            With even greater care than he’d used when checking Don’s room, Raph eased Leo’s door open. Of course, no matter how careful he was, Leo still heard him.

            “You okay, Raph?” Leo asked, his voice sleep heavy.

            “Yeah, sorry bro’. Just wanted ta check on everybody,” Raph said, not wanting to worry Leo into getting up.

            “Better watch that, it’s habit forming,” Leo said with a big yawn.

            “I’ll try ta curb my enthusiasm,” Raph said, chuckling softly. “’Night Leo.”

            “Goodnight Raph,” Leo responded, his voice trailing off as he slipped back into dreamland.

            Closing the door, Raph frowned, his concern over Mikey’s absence growing. Entering Mikey’s room, Raph flicked on the lights and looked around, thinking he might spot some clue to Mikey’s whereabouts, maybe even a note, but the room contained nothing more than Mikey’s usual ordered chaos.

            Thoroughly worried now, Raph went back downstairs and debated waking Master Splinter. It wasn’t unusual for one of them to go out alone but they always told somebody in the family. Even Raph, who spent more time topside than anyone else, still informed either his father or one of his brothers of his plans, no matter what kind of mood he was in.

            Shaking his head, Raph stepped away from his father’s door. If Mikey had told Master Splinter he was going out, their father wouldn’t have gone to bed. Either that or he’d have let Leo know so that big brother could sit up and make sure Mikey got back in one piece.

            The indisputable truth was that Mikey had gone off on his own and for some reason hadn’t wanted anyone to know.

            Starting to get a glimmer of how Leo felt when Raph stayed out later than expected, the red banded turtle ran back upstairs and into his room to get his shell cell. Rather than risking having the sound of his voice wake Leo, Raph waited until he was back downstairs and in the kitchen before calling Mikey.

            The phone didn’t even ring. There was a second of silence and then Mikey’s recorded voice chirped in Raph’s ear, telling him to leave a message.

            Alarmed, Raph started pacing, periodically glancing up at the clock on the kitchen wall. It was just after one-thirty a.m. Even if Mikey had taken a notion to ride his skateboard in order to burn off some energy, he wouldn’t be doing so this late.

            Raph spent another twenty minutes walking the floor before he decided he’d better wake Leo and Don so that they could go look for Mikey. He was half-way to the staircase when the door that led out to the sewer tunnels opened and Michelangelo appeared.

            Sucking on a large cherry slushy, his skateboard under one arm and a new video game in his hand, Mikey strolled down the ramp as though he hadn’t a care in the world. He didn’t even notice Raph until his very upset older brother stepped right into his path.

            “Where the shell have ya’ been?” Raph demanded angrily.

            “Dude, what’s with the gatekeeper impersonation?” Mikey asked cheekily.

            “Don’t give me that innocent shit,” Raph snapped, eyes narrowing dangerously. “I woke up and discovered that ya’ were missing. You’re damn lucky ya’ came in when ya’ did because I was just about ta wake everybody up so we could search for your ass.”

            “Jeez Raph, chill bro’,” Mikey said, still completely unperturbed. Setting his skateboard on the ground, he gave it a shove with his foot, sending it rolling up against a far wall. “I went for a little ride, no big deal.”

            “It’s a big deal when nobody knows where ya’ are,” Raph insisted. “Your shell cell was off too; if you’d gotten into trouble how did ya’ expect us ta find ya’?”

            Mikey walked around him, a look of amusement on his face. “Leo gets upset if I leave it on while we’re patrolling, you get upset if it’s off. This is an argument I can’t win so I’m not gonna try.”

            “You’re supposed to leave it on when you’re out alone,” Raph said, following Mikey into the living area.

            “I’ll have to work on remembering that,” Mikey said, tossing the video game down on the coffee table.

            Raph had a few more choice words for his brother, but the sight of the game drew his attention. If wasn’t one that Mikey had picked out of a garbage can someplace or even a refurbished one from the local game store; this was the latest version of a game that had only come out that week. It was brand spanking new.

            “Where did ya’ get that?” Raph barked, starting to feel like his head was going to burst into flame.

            “Gameherd on Amsterdam,” Mikey said. “They’re the only ones who have it. I’m gonna play it right now.”

            “What did ya’ do, walk into the store in broad daylight?” Raph practically yelled, his aggravation mounting.

            “No, duh,” Mikey said. “I sent Shawn in after it. He knows the night manager and got cuts so he didn’t have to wait in a line.”

            The fact that Mikey had used his fourteen-year old comic book supplier as a go-between didn’t make Raph feel any better. Even though the kid knew about them and was totally trustworthy, it still left Mikey very exposed.

            “Is that where ya’ were all night? Waiting for a damn game?” Raph asked. “I was out of my mind thinking about what might have happened ta ya’.”

            Mikey grinned at him. “Aw Raph, you’re so cute when you worry like this.”

            “It ain’t funny, Mikey,” Raph growled menacingly. “Where’d ya’ ever get the money ta pay for a just released game anyway? They cost a small fortune.”

            Mikey took a long pull on his straw, making the slurping sound that occurs when a cup is almost empty. Raph grit his teeth; the noise was more aggravating to him than nails on a chalkboard and Mikey damn well knew it.

            “I found it in the sewers,” Mikey finally said, flicking his now red tongue out to swipe ice from his lip and setting his cup on the table. “You don’t find money when you’re running the roof tops; you find it by skating through the tunnels. I found a perfectly good ten dollar bill the other day and all I had to do was dry it out.”

            “How often do ya’ do this?” Raph croaked, about ready to strangle his little brother. “Do ya’ have any idea how dangerous it is for ya’ ta go wandering the sewers by yourself? What were ya’ thinking?”

            “Wow dude, that sounded exactly like something fearless leader would say,” Mikey told him, still wearing a look of amused tolerance. “I guess you’re so good at channeling him ‘cause you get fussed at so much for the exact same thing. Speaking of Leo, maybe if you keep yelling he’ll come down here and you two can tag team me.”

            That poured a bucket of cold water on Raph’s temper. His being angry at Mikey was one thing, but getting anyone else involved was like tattling and that broke the brother code.

            Mikey’s little jab also reminded Raph of how much he hated it when Leo pounced on him as soon as he walked through the door after a night out. Absolute freedom was a fleeting thing for them and sometimes Leo’s harping took the joy out of Raph’s momentary euphoria. Raph didn’t want to be like that.

            Rubbing a calloused hand across his forehead, Raph said in a much quieter voice, “Look, I know where you’re coming from okay? But even I tell somebody when I head out, no matter how pissed I am. Too many people out there would love ta have one of us on a slab.”

            “I’m sorry, Raphie,” Mikey said in a conciliatory tone. “Next time I’ll keep my phone on and let somebody know I’m leaving, okay?”

            “Yeah, that’d be better than me getting up ta look for ya’ and finding ya’ gone,” Raph said gruffly.

            Mikey’s blue eyes widened, the look in them telling Raph he’d just guessed something. “Did you get up and look for me for a specific reason?” The cadence in his voice was almost sing-song and most definitely smug.

            Raph’s fighting nature immediately demanded that he deny Mikey’s innuendo, but his little brother’s hands were on Raph’s shoulders, pushing on them so that Raph plopped down on the couch.

            “I couldn’t get back ta sleep,” Raph said, not arguing but not admitting that he’d wanted Mikey’s company either.

            Mikey leaned down to nip at Raph’s mouth and finding it willing, Mikey enveloped him in a deep kiss. A last twirl of the tongue and Mikey pulled back enough to say, “I really am sorry I worried you. Let me make it up to you.”

            The last ounce of resistance faded as Mikey’s hand drifted down between Raph’s legs in order to play with his tail. Raph sat back against the cushions and widened the space between his knees, closing his eyes as Mikey began to kiss and gently suck at the skin on his neck and collar bones.

            Of his three brothers, only Mikey had the ability to completely infuriate him one minute and then calm him down the next. It was like he had some inner power that allowed him to play with Raph’s ever shifting feelings and send the hot head on an emotional roller coaster ride.

            Raph gasped as Mikey kneeled in front of him and started to suck on the softer cartilage between his legs. It was damn hard to argue with someone who didn’t get riled up too and damn hard to fight with someone who had such a talented mouth.

            It didn’t take much effort for that mouth to coax Raph’s cock out of hiding and work it up to the point where it was throbbing. Raph pressed the back of his hand to his mouth to hold down the volume of his churring and groaning as Mikey’s head bobbed up and down, his thick tongue swirling across the sensitive head on Raph’s dick.

            Toes curling into the throw rug under his feet, Raph sucked air in through his nostrils, his ears filled with the slurping sounds Mikey was making. One hand curled into the couch cushion next to him as the pressure in his groin built to an overwhelming degree.

            Suddenly Mikey’s mouth wasn’t there anymore and Raph grunted at the loss. Lifting his head from the couch back, Raph was in time to see Mikey fill his mouth with the leftover crushed ice from his slushy.

            Before he could move, Mikey’s hot mouth and the cold ice enveloped Raph’s shaft. Less than a second later, Raph came so hard it felt like fireworks were going off in his cock.

            Twitching and shaking, Raph ejaculated fully into Mikey’s mouth and his brother took it all, drinking it down just as greedily as he’d consumed the slushy earlier.

            Completely boneless, Raph’s body drifted on a cloud of endorphins as Mikey sat back with a satisfied grin.

            “Damn, Mikey,” Raph said, wanting to ask where his brother had learned that trick. Instead all he could manage was to once more say, “Damn.”

            “Bet you can go back to sleep now,” Mikey said, sounding very pleased with himself. He caught hold of Raph’s ankles so he could lift his brother’s legs onto the couch and Raph slid sideways until he was prone.

            Grabbing a blanket off the end of the couch, Mikey draped it over Raph and tucked a throw pillow under his head, patting Raph’s shoulder lightly before stepping away from the couch.

            Unable to move, Raph welcomed the onset of sleep, noticing the sound of cellophane being removed from Mikey’s new game and realizing that his brother was intent on sitting up to play it. When he heard no further sounds, he knew Mikey was using his headset out of courtesy.

            Before he lapsed into full unconsciousness, Raph perceived that he’d been played as well. Mikey was hiding something, something that he’d adroitly maneuvered his way out of revealing.

            That was okay for tonight, Raph thought sleepily. Mikey was home and he was safe, which was all Raph wanted at the moment. He wasn’t going to forget though; whatever Mikey was up to, Raph was determined that he’d get to the bottom of it.

            And next time, Mikey wasn’t going to divert Raph’s attention with a blow job.

TBC…………


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 2,765 multi-chapter  
> Summary: Raphael discovers that Michelangelo is leaving the lair at night without telling anyone, but his evasive younger brother won't tell him what is going on.  
> Pairing: Raph/Mikey   
> part 2 Rated: NC-17 for turtlecest references

            Fueled by enthusiasm, natural energy, and his sugary drink, Michelangelo played his new video game into the wee hours of the morning. He stopped only when he saw Leo’s bedroom door open and his yawning big brother step out.

            As Leo headed towards the bathroom, Mikey shut everything down. He’d learned long ago that the best way to avoid an extra practice session in the morning was to be invisible when Leo and Master Splinter got out of bed. Master Splinter could be very imaginative with workout assignments when his shows were on and he wanted the television to himself.

            Mikey quickly hid his new game so that no one else would be as curious about it as Raph had been. Glancing over at the couch, Mikey saw that Raph was still sleeping soundly. His brother hadn’t stirred the entire time that Mikey was up and the usually vocal game player had kept his voice down so as not to wake him.

            The youngest knew that offering Raph a blow job was self-serving because it was a sure-fired way to knock the hot head right out. Raph was exceptionally fond of having his dick sucked; in fact it was almost a fixation. But Mikey didn’t give Raph head just to manipulate him; Mikey actually loved going down on the big guy. Raph made the best sounds and the most wonderful faces when he was being sucked off.

            It was Mikey’s own private show. No one else had experienced that with Raph because the red banded turtle never had sex of any kind with anyone but Mikey.

            Although the resident hot head had no problem with the relationships his three brothers shared, he himself wasn’t amenable to a deeper intimacy with anyone other than the youngest turtle. He had never budged from that stance and probably never would.

            Mikey kind of understood Raph’s lack of interest in being with Leonardo. Sex was all about letting go of inhibitions and lowering barriers; it was an intensely personal opening up of yourself and not something Raph could manage with his clan leading oldest brother. There would always be too much fear of supplying Leo with ammunition he could use against Raph when they had one of their differences of opinion.

            Raph’s problem with having a sexual relationship with Donatello was more subtle but no less defining. Don was a gentle lover who while enjoying all manner of kinks, was fairly passive and quite happy to allow someone else to take the initiative in bed. Though Raph was a very dominant lover, he didn’t respond well to complete submissiveness.

            There was a mid-ground to Raph’s desires in a partner; he didn’t want Leo’s aggression or Don’s docility. What got Raph off and what he needed was someone with high energy, someone who could convey what they wanted and didn’t make him guess as to whether or not he was pleasing them. Michelangelo was the only one who fit the bill.

            Raph had come to Mikey first and hadn’t ever approached the other two because he just wasn’t interested in them. They respected his choice and no one spoke of it. What Raph didn’t know was that although Mikey had enjoyed liaisons with all three of his brothers, his preference was to share Raph’s bed – er, hammock.

            In fact, Mikey didn’t have relations with Leo or Don nearly as often as Raph seemed to think. Mikey loved being with the other two; Leo was an extremely intense partner and Don was very imaginative. It was simply that when Mikey was horny his mind always turned to his hot headed brother first.

            Raph got him off in a way that no one else could. When all of Raph’s growly passion was directed towards him, Mikey’s head swam. Raph tasted better, smelled better, and felt better than either Leo or Don.

            Letting Raph know that was a different matter. As long as Raph didn’t realize that Mikey favored him for a partner then Mikey had the upper hand. Mikey was all about exploiting his advantages.

            Just as Mikey was tip toeing from the room, he heard Raph shift on the couch. “Damn, what time is it?” Raph asked, his voice coarse from several hours of disuse.

            “Leo just got up,” Mikey answered.

            Raph cleared his throat. “Did ya’ even go ta sleep last night?”

            Mikey responded with an exaggerated yawn, stretching his arms wide. “Headed that way now. You wanna join me?” he asked with a grin.

            Raph rolled onto his side and buried his face in the pillow. “Too comfortable. I’m going back ta sleep.”

            His eyes werealready closing. “Your loss,” Mikey told him as he started to walk off. “Be warned though, Master Splinter will be in here in about an hour.”

            He wasn’t sure that Raph had heard him but Mikey hadn’t gone but a few steps when his brother said, “I won’t tell him why I’m on the couch.”

            It was all Raph said but Mikey understood. His brother was not going to inform on him.

            “Appreciate it bro’,” Mikey said, looking back at the couch.

            A snore was his only response and Mikey trotted up the stairs. Dodging quickly into his room, Mikey shut the door and made his way to bed without turning on any lights. As he stripped off his gear and jumped onto his mattress, Mikey half wished that Raph had decided to come up with him.

            Lying back, Mikey closed his eyes. Though tired he still thought about his relationship with Raph and wondered half humorously if Raph would go celibate if something happened to him. Mikey would have to be more careful not to give Raph a reason to worry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Mikey managed to sleep in until around noon and then his stomach gave him a wake-up call. Two days earlier he’d baked a twelve pound ham and he sincerely hoped some of it was left because the thought of a ham sandwich or two was making his mouth water.

            That ham had caused quite a stir amongst his brothers because it was a treat they normally couldn’t afford. When Mikey had brought it home he’d told Master Splinter that he’d gotten April to sell one of his collector grade comics and had used the money to purchase the ham and a few other grocery items. He had assured his father that the comic was a duplicate so he wasn’t really making a big sacrifice; he’d just been in the mood for ham.

            Having April sell something for them so they’d have money for the little extras in life wasn’t uncommon so no one thought twice about Mikey’s explanation. The family had enjoyed a very special dinner together and it was especially nice for Mikey because he liked it when they all sat down to a meal at the same time.

            It was totally worth the lie he’d told about where the money for the ham had come from. If someone asked April about selling a comic for him then Mikey would be busted but he gambled that none of his family would think to do that.

            Just as he wagered that no one would notice the new comforter on his bed. Should one of his brothers ask about it, Mikey was prepared to say he’d found it inside a dresser that had been tossed out at the junkyard. Sometimes they did find brand new items that had been unintentionally forgotten by their human owners.

            Mikey had glib lies ready if anyone questioned the new high quality bath soaps or the boxes of bandages and first aid supplies that now filled the cabinet in the infirmary, or the crate filled with the scented candles that Leo and Master Splinter liked. Because of their scavenging lifestyle, things tended to come and go in their home and the family didn’t pay them much mind.

            Though his family had learned to get by with what they scavenged, it still bothered Mikey that they had to live like fugitives. Things wouldn’t be so bad if they could have the same kinds of comforts as the humans enjoyed and Mikey really wanted to make that happen.

            Part of the problem had been solved long ago when April O’Neil and Casey Jones had come into their lives. If the turtles needed to buy something, they could go through one of their human friends and avoid showing themselves to the outside world.

            Their primary dilemma was money. Neither April or Casey were rich and it wouldn’t have mattered if they were; the Hamato clan had too much honor to take something for nothing. While they did find money in the sewers, as Mikey’s lie to Raph referenced, they didn’t actually find all that much.

            Not having money didn’t keep Mikey from dreaming big. He wanted to be able to buy comics or games whenever the urge struck him. He wanted to fill the pantry and refrigerator with food that wasn’t stale or past its expiration date. He wanted a thick warm blanket for those days when the lair was chilly and a fan for the times when it got too hot.

            But most of all he wanted to give his family things that would make their lives easier and more pleasant. Mikey wanted to give his father some real tatami mats for his bedroom and a couple of robes, maybe in different colors, that weren’t threadbare and coming apart at the seams.

            Mikey knew there were some history books that Leo would love to own, thick volumes that chronicled past wars and how different leaders planned their battles. Leo ate that kind of stuff up. Mikey also knew how Leo struggled to find the items he needed to have in his sword cleaning kit, especially the powder and sword oil.

            Donatello could use a myriad of things but there were two things that Mikey most wanted to provide for his smart brother. The first was a set of the very delicate small tools that Don needed but weren’t something one would find at the junk yard. The other was a really fine stereo system with good quality speakers. His genius brother loved to listen to classic rock while he worked, but the patchwork system that Don had now seemed to play more static than actual music.

            Then there was Raphael. He couldn’t buy his most passionate brother the thing that Raph most wanted which was the freedom not to have to hide in the sewers. Mikey couldn’t give Raph human acceptance or the right to be recognized as a sentient being.

            Mikey could give him the few simple things that made Raph happy though. One of which was his hammock. Raph was forever repairing the one he had because it had been falling apart to start with. There was always a danger that when he crawled into it one of the ropes would break or the spreader bar would bust and dump him on the floor.

            Raph liked rope hammocks the best and Mikey wanted desperately to buy him a brand new one. A very big six foot wide new one, the kind that cost close to a hundred and fifty bucks. Not only would Raph sleep well in something like that, he’d luxuriate in it. The thought of sharing a hammock like that with Raph totally got Mikey’s motor running too.

            Thinking of all of the things he wanted to do for his family but wasn’t able to for lack of funds had bummed Mikey out. Not one to sit around feeling bad, Mikey had started out to find a way to earn some money.

            Being a mutant turtle and someone who wasn’t supposed to exist placed considerable limits on Mikey’s options. But one thing Michelangelo didn’t do when he wanted something was to quit. His perseverance had paid off, literally. He’d found himself a paying gig.

            It was very part-time and he never knew when he’d be needed, but when he worked the money was good. The people he worked for already knew about him so he didn’t have to risk discovery. His only problem was that he was sure his brothers wouldn’t approve so he had to keep it a secret.

            Mikey had to do some fast thinking when he’d found Raph waiting for him the previous night. Pretending to be unconcerned and a little amused had kept Raph from sensing that Mikey was doing something he didn’t want anyone to know about. Letting his brother fuss had unearthed the reason why Raph was up looking for him and that had given Mikey a way to cool his brother’s jets.

            If it had been Leo or Don standing there then Mikey would have had to adjust his responses, but he wasn’t too worried. Being thought of as the brother who liked good times better than trouble went a long way towards preventing his family from growing suspicious of his absences. Fortunately his employer only needed his talents late at night and sneaking out was always easier when everyone else was asleep.

            Mikey’s thoughts had carried him down to the kitchen and to his great joy he discovered that there was still enough ham for a couple of nice sized sandwiches. He’d just finished building them when Raph came in.

            Seeing his brother eyeing his meal, Mikey spread his arms to either side of his plate and crouched over it, much the way he’d seen lions do with a freshly killed carcass. “Don’t even try to talk me out of one of these,” he said menacingly.

            Raph chuckled as he pulled a clean glass down from the cupboard. “How about ya’ just let me have a bite then?”

            The younger turtle had already stuffed his mouth with part of the first sandwich and shook his head vigorously at that suggestion while he chewed. When he got enough down so that he could speak, Mikey said, “No way. You’ll cram the whole thing in your mouth.”

            “Nobody could do a better job of that than you’re doing right now,” Raph said, giving Mikey a look of disgust. As he poured out a glass of milk, he said, “Why do ya’ have ta talk with your mouth full, you’re spraying food everywhere.”

            “Feel free not to look,” Mikey countered as he took another bite of his food.

            “Gladly,” Raph said, draining his glass and rinsing it out. On his way out of the kitchen, Raph added, “Master Splinter’s gonna show me a new grappling technique. If ya’ feel like getting pummeled come on and join us.”

            He left the kitchen without waiting for an answer and Mikey started on his second sandwich. Mikey would of course take Raph up on that offer just to make sure his brother didn’t learn how to do something that Mikey couldn’t do.

            Just then Mikey’s shell cell vibrated. Dropping his sandwich on the plate, Mikey looked up to make sure he was alone before flipping his phone open.

            There was a text from his employer requesting his services that evening. Normally Mikey didn’t work two nights in a row, but he sure couldn’t turn down the money. He quickly responded in the affirmative before putting the phone away and then sending the remainder of his sandwich down to join the rest of it in his stomach.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            It was just past midnight when Mikey ventured out of his room and took a quick look around before jumping down to the ground floor. The lab door was closed but there weren’t any sounds coming from inside, so Mikey guessed that Don had fallen asleep on his cot.

            Master Splinter was in bed and since both Raph and Leo’s doors were shut, Mikey knew they’d called it a night too.

            Very quickly Mikey attached his hastily scribbled note to the refrigerator. All it said was that he couldn’t sleep and was going for a run in the tunnels. That should satisfy Raph if his brother got up again to look for him.

            Making no sound, Mikey slipped out of the lair, determined to get his job done and come home immediately. When he got back he’d remove the note from the fridge and if no one brought it up the next day, he’d allow his family to remain blissfully ignorant of his absence.

            Running towards his destination, Mikey left behind any worries about his family, sure that he’d done a good job of covering his backside. If he hadn’t been so complacent, he might have noticed he had a shadow.

TBC……………..


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 2,520 multi-chapter  
> Summary: Raphael discovers that Michelangelo is leaving the lair at night without telling anyone, but his evasive younger brother won't tell him what is going on.  
> Pairing: Raph/Mikey   
> part 3 Rated: PG-13

            Watching Michelangelo go through his day as though nothing untoward had happened the night before was a good reminder for Raph of his kid brother’s craftiness. If Raph hadn’t been out of bed to witness Mikey coming in and hadn’t seen that certain glimmer Mikey got in his eyes when he was attempting to cover something up, Raph might have thought everything was normal.

            When Mikey had joined him in the dojo after his lunch, Raph had noticed that his brother was slightly ‘off’. Normally Mikey learned new moves much faster than anyone else but he seemed distracted. Master Splinter had called him out on it and of course Mikey had a ready answer, telling their father that he had eaten a little too much.

            Raph didn’t believe it for a second. Mikey’s mind was definitely on something else but he wasn’t telling what. Right after the dressing down from Master Splinter, Mikey turned into his usual self and Raph had a hard time keeping up with him.

            To Raph that little slip up by Mikey meant that his brother was contemplating doing something he probably shouldn’t. Raph was pretty sure it tied into whatever Mikey had been up to the previous evening and since little bro’ had decided to keep secrets, Raph was determined to ferret them out.

            Doing so meant keeping a close eye on Mikey without seeming to. Being a highly skilled ninja helped with that but Raph’s knowledge of Mikey’s character helped even more.

            As night fell Raph noticed that Mikey kept glancing at the clock. No matter which room he was in, Mikey’s first priority seemed to be finding out what time it was. Even when the family sat down to a game of cards at the kitchen table, Mikey took a seat where he could see the timer on the stove.

            Seated next to him, Donatello was within Mikey’s line of sight whenever he glanced over at the clock. Since Don didn’t know what Mikey was actually looking at, he of course figured that his youngest brother was trying to cheat.

            “Mikey, are you trying to see my cards?” Don asked in an amused tone.

            Raph watched as Mikey’s eyes darted back to his own cards. There was a distinctly guilty look on Mikey’s face and Raph knew it had nothing to do with any attempt at cheating.

            Laughing lightly, Mikey said, “Hey dude, if you’re gonna hold them out so far it must mean you want me to see them.”

            “It isn’t much fun to win by cheating, Michelangelo,” Leo told him mildly.

            Mikey made a face at his oldest brother. “It isn’t much fun to lose either, Leonardo.”

            “Video game cheat codes are spoiling you,” Don said. “You’ve forgotten how to play by the rules.”

            Mikey chuckled. “Cheating is as old as game playing, dude. Part of the fun is doing it and not getting caught.”

            “Well you got caught,” Leo said. “Keep your eyes on your own cards from now on.”

            After that Mikey managed to refrain from clock watching. That his focus was subdivided became obvious in the way he played though. Mikey was usually something of a card shark who kept everyone on their toes, but tonight his play was terrible.

            Raph wasn’t surprised when Mikey pushed back from the table around ten o’clock, stretching his arms over his head and yawning widely. “I’m sleepy bro’s. You guys keep going if you wanna but I’m gonna hit the sack.”

            After a few more prodigious yawns, which he made sure his brother’s saw, Mikey headed up to his room. The after effects were of course contagious, as Mikey probably knew they would be. They’d only just begun another game when the three remaining brothers were yawning repeatedly.

            “Forget it,” Don said, tossing his cards down. His eyes were watering from trying to contain his yawning. “I’m going to bed. Next time Mikey does that I’m going to stuff a dirty sock in his mouth.”

            Leo patted his mouth with the back of his hand as he tried to pretend that the contagion hadn’t spread to him. When Don got up he went around behind his older brother and leaned down next to Leo’s head.

            “I like when you open your mouth that way,” Don said suggestively.

            As he stepped back Leo popped out of his chair like a jack-in-the-box, waving to Raph as he started after Don. “’Night Raph!”

            Raph chuckled, amused as always with how easily Don could manipulate Leo with a few well-chosen words. He quickly sobered as he remembered why his brothers were turning in so early.

            Raking the cards into the middle of the table so they’d be out of the way in the morning, Raph got up and turned out the kitchen lights. The rest of the lair was in darkness and Raph looked up at Mikey’s closed door, his expression speculative.

            Though he saw that there was no light shining through the door frame, Raph had no doubt that his youngest brother was shamming. Mikey had every intention of going out and Raph had every intention of being right on top of him.

            Two hours later Mikey’s door opened and the turtle in question peeked out. From his hiding spot behind the television array, Raph watched as Mikey checked his brother’s rooms and the lab. Although Don and Leo were sharing a bed, Raph had closed the lab door to give the illusion everyone was sleeping separately tonight. He figured that would give Mikey a false sense of security in believing that no extra-curricular activities would cause any of his brothers to wake up in the middle of the night.

            Raph saw Mikey stick a note on the fridge door and guessed that was his idea of keeping his promise to his red banded brother. He was relieved when Mikey left the lair without taking his skateboard since Raph would be hard pressed to keep up with him if Mikey was on four wheels.

            Mikey had no idea that he was being followed and that irked Raph. It was bad enough that Mikey was utilizing his skills as a ninja to sneak out at night, but apparently he was leaving his caution behind when he did so.

            Every once in a while Mikey would turn around to check behind him. To Raph it was a laughable effort; they had all learned at an early age how and when to duck out of sight. That was another thing Mikey should have remembered because his cursory glances weren’t any better than not looking at all.

            When Mikey turned down a section of tunnel that was a dead end Raph was more than a little puzzled. He couldn’t follow his brother at that point because there was nowhere to hide, so Raph decided to wait a few minutes and see if Mikey would return.

            Raph had just settled into a shadowed alcove when Mikey reappeared, this time carrying a very large black backpack. The straps had been adjusted to accommodate Mikey’s shell and when his brother slipped it on Raph could tell that it was empty.

            After he had the backpack Mikey set off at a lope, moving faster than he had before. Raph let him have a decent head start before sprinting after him, careful to avoid any standing water he came across so that the splash wouldn’t give him away.

            It was obvious that Mikey had a specific destination in mind and it wasn’t long before he reached it. Mikey didn’t even pause as he leaped onto a maintenance ladder and climbed to the surface, barely checking to see that the coast was clear before exiting the sewers.

            Raph waited until he heard Mikey slide the manhole cover back into place before himself proceeding up top. He couldn’t afford to let Mikey have to big a head start on him so Raph had to give up some caution as he popped the metal cover open and peered out.

            The sewer access opened out in the middle of a street and Raph saw Mikey’s feet as they turned off of the sidewalk and into an alley. Everything in the neighborhood was quiet and no cars were in sight, so Raph quickly made his exit and darted onto the sidewalk.

            Hugging the shadows, Raph reached the alley but didn’t enter it, instead pressing his body against the corner building and leaning his head out just far enough so he could see what was going on.

            About halfway down the alley there was a door in the side of one of the buildings. The light above it was on, its low wattage barely illuminating much beyond a space around the door itself.

            Mikey had come to a stop in front of the door and now knocked on it, a quick rapping with his knuckles that sounded like some sort of code.

            After he knocked, Mikey took three steps back and waited, his eyes fixed on the door. Raph’s teeth ground together in frustration as he observed his brothers complete lack of caution.

            When the door opened two men came out. Both were big and burly, neither looked overly intelligent, and to Raph’s practiced eye, both carried guns in shoulder holsters beneath their suit jackets.

            Liking the situation less and less, Raph resisted the urge to spring forward when he saw Mikey grin and greet them by name.

            “Da boss is waiting,” one of the men said, standing aside to allow Mikey to precede him through the door.

            The other man remained where he was as the door closed behind Mikey and the first armed man. Although his body remained completely stationary, the man’s head and eyes roamed continuously, even looking upwards at intervals.

            Raph knew a seasoned bodyguard when he saw one. Whatever Mikey had gotten himself into, it involved the mob.

            Cursing under his breath was all Raph could do and he did that, profusely and with feeling. He would give his brother ten minutes and then he’d find a way inside, even if it meant going through that bodyguard.

            It was a few seconds shy of that limit when the door opened again and the bodyguard moved aside to allow Mikey to exit. Once Mikey was in the alley, the man went back inside and Raph heard the sound of a door bolt sliding shut.

            Mikey looked exactly the same as when he’d gone into the building, except that now his backpack was filled with something. From the way it bulged and sagged, whatever Mikey had been conscripted to carry was heavy.

            As soon as he was alone, Mikey bounded towards the end of the alley and caught hold of the bottom rung of the adjoining building’s fire escape. He swung onto the first platform with ease and trotted up the stairs until he reached the roof top, quickly disappearing over the edge.

            Raph dared not take the same route. Since he now knew he was dealing with the mob, he was pretty sure there would be security cameras in that alley. Turning back to the sidewalk, Raph ran a couple of blocks at street level before using the arm of a street light to swing onto a window balcony and then leaping onto the roof.

            Landing in a crouched position, Raph scanned the roof tops and caught a glimpse of Mikey in the distance. His brother was jogging along, not moving at full speed but not dallying either. He was headed someplace in particular and Raph decided enough was enough. Whatever his brother had gotten involved in, Raph meant to discover what it was before Mikey reached his next stop.

            Raph raced to intercept his brother, remaining careful so that Mikey wouldn’t spot him too soon. As if doing something for the mob wasn’t dangerous enough, Raph was also getting a bad vibe from whatever it was that Mikey carried for them. Raph loved Mikey to pieces, but his younger brother could be just a tad bit gullible, and Raph had a feeling Mikey wasn’t street wise enough to know that what he was doing was ill advised.

            Wherever Mikey was headed, he wasn’t making a straight line towards it. He altered his course fairly frequently, leaving Raph to wonder if Mikey had a suspicion he was being followed. Raph abandoned that idea right away; if Mikey thought someone was following he’d be moving a whole lot faster. When necessary, Mikey was capable of a great deal of speed and even Raph would have difficulty keeping up with him.

            As it was Mikey’s zigzagging made it hard for Raph to anticipate his brother’s course so that he could head him off. He’d just decided that it was time to show himself and demand that Mikey stop, when Raph saw men stream out into the open on several different roof tops.

            Mikey skid to a halt when he realized that he was surrounded. His hands went automatically to his nunchucks and he had them out and spinning in a flash.

            Raph stopped behind a smoke stack for just a moment in order to get a head count and some idea of where each man was located. They had Mikey effectively boxed in and there were at least twenty of them. Although he couldn’t see down to the street from where he was, Raph had no doubt that there were some down there as well.

            It wasn’t difficult for Raph to tell that these men were also gangsters and apparently from a different ‘family’. Leave it to Mikey to get himself caught in the middle of a mob war, Raph thought grimly.

            The look of surprise on Mikey’s face reinforced Raph’s earlier theory that his brother had no clue as to what he was carrying. From the way Mikey had behaved, he’d half expected someone to try to steal his backpack from him, but he hadn’t anticipated anyone would want it badly enough to send practically an entire army out to get it.

            “You just take it easy now, turtle,” one of the gangsters told Mikey. “All’s we want is that pack and ta know where you been picking up your deliveries from. Maybe if you play ball with us, we can cut you in for a better deal.”

            “And if I don’t?” Mikey asked, not relaxing his defensive stance.

            The speaker pulled a gun from his shoulder holster and leveled it at Mikey. “Then we ain’t gonna play at all. I’ll try ta plug you someplace that ain’t vital ‘cause we need you ta sing for us, but I ain’t a great shot. You got thirty seconds.”

            Raph didn’t have to be a mind reader to see that whatever Mikey had agreed to do for the first mob, it did not include letting anyone get that backpack away from him. With a low growl, Raph slammed the side of his fist into the bricks of the smoke stack and then took off at a dead run, heading straight towards the gangsters.

            He could only hope that he was faster than a bullet.

TBC……………..


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 2,932  
> Summary: Raphael discovers that Michelangelo is leaving the lair at night without telling anyone, but his evasive younger brother won't tell him what is going on.  
> Pairing: Raph/Mikey   
> part 4 Rated: R language, violence

            Looking down the barrel of a gun was Michelangelo’s least favorite thing to do. It rivaled breaking his word of honor, which was what his delivery contract amounted to.

            They had told him they’d chosen him from a list of applicants because they knew he was honest. The fact that he was a skilled ninja helped too because they said corporate espionage was rampant and that their rivals would stop at almost nothing to get their hands on the shipments Mikey was carrying.

            Staring at the gun and realizing what kind of people were surrounding him gave Mikey the distinct impression that his employers hadn’t been completely honest. He was also pretty sure the man pointing that gun wasn’t going to actually wait thirty seconds before shooting him.

            It was times like these when Mikey wanted to curse his whole honor code. If he was smart, he’d toss the backpack straight at the gunman’s face and fight his way out of this mess. Of course if he was truly smart, he wouldn’t have taken on any kind of job for mobsters in the first place.

            “Oh well,” the gunman said with a sigh, cocking back the gun hammer, “I guess you’re a tough guy. They always insist on learning the hard way.”

            Mikey braced himself, sliding his foot around and turning his body sideways so that he was a smaller target. Keeping his eyes fixed on the gunman’s trigger finger, he hoped that his reflexes could respond to a command to leap aside at the same moment that the gun was fired.

            Without warning a loud thump sounded from behind him, followed by a grunt of pain and Mikey’s attention shifted. The wall of men that had formed around him suddenly had a gaping hole in it and the very large, very angry emerald green turtle who was currently cracking two men’s heads together was obviously the reason for that.

            “Move!” Raph roared at him.

            Mikey didn’t need a second invitation, his feet already responding to the tone of Raph’s command. A man dove at him from the side and Mikey jumped over him, slamming the end of his nunchuck down on the man’s temple.

            “Go, go, go!” Mikey yelled, racing past Raph who was shaking two more attackers loose.

            Tossing the men like kindling, Raph spun on his toes and sprinted after his brother. The loud report of a gun sounded from back of them, followed by another. Mikey reached the edge of the roof and catapulted off, flying over the intervening drop and landing on the next roof top.

            Raph hit the edge and rocketed through the air. He saw Mikey start running again and then heard another gunshot.

            Mikey stumbled and almost fell, his right shoulder going down as though some invisible hand had shoved him. Landing solidly, Raph caught up to his brother and grabbed Mikey’s left arm, pulling him forward.

            They ran together at breakneck speed, taking the next leap at the same time. Both were hunched over, doing their best to give the men shooting at them as small a mark as possible. Raph glanced back periodically, watching as the men tried to follow them. A few managed the first jump and only a couple even attempted the second.

            A movement on top of the building to their left caught Raph’s eye and he saw that several men had burst through the roof top entrance in an attempt to cut them off. Since the men couldn’t follow them effectively while the turtles stayed high, the gangsters were trying to stick with them at street level.

            “This way!” Raph called, urging Mikey to veer off to the right away from the men. Clearing the jump over to another building easily, Raph began choosing an irregular course in order to throw off their pursuers.

            Whatever it was that Mikey was carrying those men wanted it badly, because they were not giving up. The next leap they made was accompanied by gunfire and when Raph stopped long enough to look down, he saw a group of mobsters standing next to a car. When they spotted him all five of the men lifted their guns to shoot at him.

            “Damn,” Raph muttered. Mikey was running ahead of him and that’s when Raph noticed how unevenly his brother was moving. Then Raph saw the blood.

            That back of Mikey’s right shoulder was covered in it. There were splatters on his carapace and the backpack as well. Mikey’s earlier stumble was because he’d been hit by a bullet.

            Racing up to him, Raph asked, “How bad is it?”

            “I can move my arm,” Mikey said. “Nothing’s broken.”

            “That ain’t answering my question,” Raph said, his tone grim.

            Mikey looked at him, a pained grin on his face. “It’s not bad enough that I want to stop and collect another one.”

            Raph abruptly skid to a stop, grabbing Mikey and pulling him to a halt as well. Mikey started to speak but Raph lifted his hand, his head cocked as though listening for something.

            That’s when Mikey heard it too. The whistle of a freight train.

            “That way,” Raph said, sprinting towards the sound.

            “What are we doing?” Mikey asked, his pain worsening to the point that he had to struggle to keep up with Raph.

            “Ya’ can’t keep running with your shoulder bleeding like that,” Raph said. “We need transportation those mobsters can’t follow. They won’t be able ta drive into the rail yard. We just gotta get far enough ahead of them so they won’t know which train we took.”

            The sound of the trains grew louder as they moved from roof top to roof top. They hadn’t seen any men on the roofs in several minutes and the gunfire had faded to the occasional _pop_ from the street below them.

            Suddenly the brothers ran out of roofs and were forced to stop. Almost directly below them were the first set of freight rails and another loud whistle drew their attention to an oncoming train.

            “Can ya’ make the jump?” Raph asked, hearing the wheezing sound of Mikey’s breathing.

            “Yeah, don’t worry about me,” Mikey said. His head was down, both hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He knew enough about blood loss to understand why he was feeling so weak.

            “Dammit Mikey, I’ll fucking carry ya’ if . . . .” Raph got no more than that out before his younger brother quickly sprang off the roof.

            Without thinking about it, Raph followed suit, landing heavily on top of a train car. Looking up he saw Mikey sprawled on the car in front of his, scrambling for a purchase as he slid towards the side.

            Running forward, Raph jumped the separation between cars and flung himself onto his plastron, reaching out to grab Mikey’s hand. With a hard yank, he pulled his brother back to the center of the train car’s roof.

            “Backpack,” Mikey panted, his head next to Raph’s. “Threw off . . . my balance.”

            “The bullet hole had nothing ta do with it, right?” Raph asked sarcastically. “It’s a damn good thing I showed up when I did.”

            “Yeah,” Mikey agreed. “Otherwise I might not have gotten shot.”

            “Don’t be a smart ass,” Raph admonished. “Let’s get inside this car before someone sees us.”

            Crawling to the side, Raph reached down and slid the car’s door open. The train was picking up speed as it headed towards the exit from the rail yard and Raph had no doubt the men pursuing them would be watching the trains.

            Mikey crept up next to his brother. “Hurry,” he urged.

            “Give me that damn pack,” Raph growled, peeling it off of Mikey. The thing weighed fifty pounds easily.

            “Don’t lose it,” Mikey said, his voice sounding panicky.

            “This fucking thing better be full of gold,” Raph said, tossing the backpack into the rail car.

            He grabbed onto Mikey’s forearms as his younger brother turned so that his feet were dangling off the side. Mikey grimaced as his shoulder was forced to take his full body weight and then Raph swung him into the car.

            Grabbing the thin edge of metal along the top of the roof, Raph flipped down into the car next to his brother. With a quick lunge forward Raph grabbed the door and pulled it shut.

            Turning he saw that Mikey was slumped over and moved to squat next to his brother. Tipping Mikey back against his arm, Raph examined his front and saw that the bullet hadn’t penetrated all of the way through. There was a small bump in Mikey’s skin and Raph guessed that the density of his trapezius muscle coupled with his distance from the shooter must have slowed the progress of the bullet.

           “How’s it look?” Mikey asked in a low voice.

            “It looks like you’re gonna be sore for a while,” Raph said, keeping his tone light. “Two things I gotta do Mikey. I gotta stop the bleeding and I gotta get the bullet out of ya’ before it decides ta move around some more.”

            “Sounds like fun,” Mikey said and then started to cough.

            Raph held onto him tightly, keeping his right side stabilized. “Easy there, bro’. Wish I could tell ya’ this ain’t gonna hurt, but I ain’t about ta lie.”

            “Do it fast so I don’t have to think about it for long,” Mikey said, his eyes sliding shut, not wanting to watch.

            One handed, Raph took a pen knife, a lighter, and a small bundle of gauze pads from his belt, items they all carried with them. He lowered his knees onto the floor to be in a better position to work and used his lap to arrange the pads into a plug.

            With as much care as possible, Raph inserted the makeshift plug into the wound at the bullet’s entry point. His first priority was to stop the bleeding, glad that the injury was a clean through and through. Almost through and through, he amended to himself, knowing he still had to get the bullet out. It could have been worse if the bullet had hit bone and ricocheted around inside of Mikey.

            Mikey grunted as he felt Raph ministering to the hole in his upper shoulder, but otherwise remained perfectly still. Pain was something they’d all learned to endure but Mikey always felt better if he could be slightly vocal about it.

            He felt Raph shift a little and then heard the backpack sliding across the wooden floor. A second later Raph was propping Mikey up against it, using the bulky pack to keep Mikey’s upper body elevated.

            When Mikey heard his brother thumb the lighter to flame, he opened his eyes to watch Raph heat the blade of his pen knife. The prospect of what Raph was about to do made Mikey’s eyes close again because he didn’t want to tense up.

            Don had a much better bedside manner when treating wounds and Leo was always very conscientious. Raph simply took care of business, neither announcing his intentions nor hesitating. Mikey found he much preferred that method.

            With no warning the blade sank into Mikey’s skin, causing the injured turtle to gasp. A quick twist of Raph’s wrist and it was done; the bullet popped loose and hit the floor. Before Mikey had a chance to register any more pain, Raph was plugging the new hole and applying enough pressure to stop the bleeding and the discomfort.

            “All done,” Raph said in what he hoped was a soothing tone.

            “What, no nurses to smooth my injured brow?” Mikey asked, opening his eyes and grinning up at Raph.

            His brother didn’t appear amused and Mikey knew he was in for it. Raph stared at him without speaking for several minutes, his nostrils flaring as he sucked down air in an attempt to calm his agitation.

            “Now would be a good time ta tell me what the fuck you’ve been doing,” Raph said in a deceptively even voice.

            There didn’t seem any point in continuing to hide his secret and considering how violent their encounter had become, Mikey didn’t think he owed his employers his further silence.

            “I took a job as a delivery guy,” Mikey said. “I wanted to earn some extra cash and I heard some men talking about how they were gonna apply for this job opening. They said the people were looking for someone who could work nights and move fast. That seemed like it was right up my alley.”

            Exasperated, Raph asked, “Didn’t ya’ even stop ta think that might sound a little suspicious?”

            “Well sure I did,” Mikey answered. “Especially when I spied on a couple of interviews and recognized some of those mobsters we’ve tangled with before. But they’ve changed, Raph. They got tired of fighting with the Purple Dragons and the Foot so they decided to turn legit.”

           “Oh shell, Mikey,” Raph said, growing irritated with his brother’s level of naiveté. “Mob guys don’t stop being mobsters. Not ever. It’s some kinda code they got.”

            “I thought that was just in the movies,” Mikey said. “Mr. Russo said that his family has a bad rap and he doesn’t want them thought of that way anymore. He swore on his mom’s grave that he’d go straight. He and his friends pooled their funds and opened up a string of pizza parlors across New York and New Jersey. I’ve brought home some of their pies and you guys loved them.”

            “He appealed ta your stomach,” Raph said acerbically.

            “He was just proving his point,” Mikey said with energy. “Why would they bother to make something so good if they were just covering for something else? In fact their pizza is so good it’s putting some of the competition out of business.”

            “Yeah, I’ll bet it is,” Raph said with a derisive snort. “So spill it; what are ya’ delivering for them?”

            Mikey took a deep breath and said, “Tomato sauce.”

            Raph’s mouth opened and then closed without his making a sound. He stared at Mikey and then his eyes drifted to the backpack.

            “You’re carrying fifty pounds of tomato sauce?” Raph asked incredulously. “Why would anybody need a special delivery guy ta carry tomato sauce?”

            “’Cause it’s the reason their pizza is so good,” Mikey said. “Mr. Russo said it’s made from a family recipe that’s been handed down five generations. He said it’s like a trade secret and his competitors would love to get their hands on it, so he had to get creative about delivering the stuff. The job was perfect for me; they already knew who I was from all the times we’ve gotten into fights with them and they said I didn’t even have to audition for the job ‘cause they know how I can move.”

            “Just how often do ya’ make these deliveries?” Raph asked.

            “There’s no set schedule,” Mikey said. “Mr. Russo sends me a text when he needs my services. I don’t usually have to work two nights in a row though.”

            Raph’s eyes narrowed as he thought about what Mikey was telling him. “Do ya’ pick up and deliver ta the same place every time?”

            “I pick up from the same building,” Mikey said, “but the delivery points are all different. I told you they have pizza parlors all over the place.”

            “Uh huh,” Raph said. “Excuse me for being skeptical, but I think we’re gonna have a look at some of that tomato sauce.”

            As he reached for the zipper on the backpack, Mikey protested, “You can’t! I’m not supposed to open the backpack until I reach my destination. They count everything when they pack the bag and count it again when I deliver it.”

            “Ya’ just quit that job, Mikey,” Raph told him. “I got news for ya’, that tomato sauce gag is a cover the mob has used for years. If ya’ was a little more street savvy, you’d know that.”

            Mikey’s eyes were wide as Raph unzipped the backpack enough to reach in and pull out a twenty-four ounce can of tomato sauce.

            Turning it over in his hand, Raph saw that it sported a home-made label that showed a list of ingredients about a mile long. Gingerly shaking the can, Raph heard something sloshing around inside.

            “See, tomato sauce,” Mikey said triumphantly.

            Raph didn’t bother to answer. Flipping one of the sai out of his belt, Raph set the can on the floor, holding it firmly as he plunged the metal tip into the can.

            Lifting the sai out, they both saw that the tip was covered in red sauce. Raph placed the end of his finger against it and touched it to his tongue, tasting nothing more than spicy tomatoes.

            “Your problem is you never trust people,” Mikey said, enjoying his mini-win despite his pain.

            “That don’t make any sen . . . .” Raph stopped talking as he once more contemplated the can.

            Before Mikey could ask what he was doing, Raph slid the tip of his sai into the can once more, this time pushing down on it. He hadn’t even reached the mid-way point when his sai encountered another obstruction, this one harder than the aluminum top of the can.

            The brothers looked at each another, the first wearing a surprised expression and the second a formidable one.

            Turning his attention back to the can, Raph placed his palm atop the pommel of his sai and pounded it hard enough to penetrate the second obstruction.

TBC…………………..


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 3,126 multi-chapter  
> Summary: Raphael discovers that Michelangelo is leaving the lair at night without telling anyone, but his evasive younger brother won't tell him what is going on.  
> Pairing: Raph/Mikey   
> part 5 Rated: R language, violence, adult concepts

            As soon as Raph punched through the second barrier he yanked his sai free and turned the can over. Tomato sauce poured out of the hole he’d made, creating a small puddle on the floor in front of him.

            The sauce slowed to a trickle very quickly and that’s when Raph noticed a fine white powder drift down on top of the puddle. Moving the can away from the sauce, Raph set it down and used his pen knife to peel back the bottom of the can.

            Stuffed inside were two baggies filled with the white powder. One of them had a small puncture in it where Raph’s sai had pierced the plastic. Raph touched the edge of his finger to the powder, gathering a few minute particles on it and then set them on his tongue.

            A second later he made a face and turned his head to spit. “Bitter. That’s heroin.”

           Mikey stared at him in stunned disbelief. “I didn’t know!” he exclaimed, trying to sit up.

            Raph placed his hand on Mikey’s collar bone and held him down. “Don’t get excited,” he admonished his brother.

            “They used me,” Mikey practically wailed, sounding disgusted with himself.

            “Yeah, I hate ta say it, but ya’ walked right into one of the oldest drug running scams around. It started back in the seventies when the Mafia used a bunch of independently owned pizza parlors as fronts for moving narcotics. The government called it the ‘Pizza Connection’ ‘cause they transported the heroin inside tomato cans,” Raph told him, tapping the can from Mikey’s backpack.

            “How do you know so much about it?” Mikey asked.

            “Me and Casey knock around quite a bit. We pick up stuff like that. Leo likes ta study ancient battles, I like ta study criminal networks. Both of those things come in handy when you’re fighting crime,” Raph explained.

            Thinking for a minute, Mikey asked, “How much do you think this shipment is worth?”

            Raph hefted the baggies in his hand and estimated how many cans Mikey was carrying. “My guess is somewhere in the range of four million at the mob’s price with a street value of forty-five million.”

            Mikey’s eyes looked like they might pop out of his head and he gave a low whistle. “No wonder those guys wouldn’t stop chasing us.”

            Raph stuffed the baggies back into the can and returned it to the backpack. “For that kind of money they ain’t gonna quit just ‘cause they lost us for a little bit,” Raph said. “It ain’t gonna take ‘em long ta figure out they should divide their resources and chase down every train that left the rail yard in the last half hour.”

            “So what do we do?” Mikey asked. “I can’t let this heroin get out on the street, I feel bad enough about the stuff I already delivered.”

            “Ya’ got another problem too bro’,” Raph said. “Your boss is gonna think ya’ stole this shipment if it don’t get delivered on time, which ain’t gonna happen. Both of these mob families are gonna be hunting us down from here ta eternity.”

            Mikey’s face sank. “Shell Raph, I really screwed up.”

            “It ain’t the brightest move ya’ ever made,” Raph acknowledged, “not ta mention ya’ managed ta get shot in the process. Don’t let it get ya’ down bro’; we’ve gotten out of tougher spots than this. We just gotta use some imagination.”

            For a few minutes they were both quiet, mentally chewing over their problem. The swaying of the train and the rattle of the wheels against the track would have been relaxing if their situation weren’t so dire.

            “When did you decide to follow me?” Mikey finally asked, his voice soft.

            “Last night,” Raph answered. “After ya’ tried distracting my attention with that blow job. Not that I minded, but I figured ya’ needed ta know I ain’t that easy.”

            “I’m not gonna lie and say I wasn’t trying to throw you off the scent,” Mikey admitted, “but I mostly did it because I like doing that for you.” With a mischievous grin he added, “You make the best faces.”

            Raph felt the heat rise on his cheeks and removed his mask, covering his self-consciousness by yanking the knot open. Leaning forward, he gently lifted Mikey’s right arm, resting it against his chest before slipping his mask around it. Tying the ends behind Mikey’s neck, Raph checked that the makeshift sling was taut.

            “I like your expression when you’re lying on the bed looking up at me,” Raph said gruffly. Setting a hand on Mikey’s cheek, he added, “The only time I ever want ta see your eyes closed is when I’m making ya’ happy or when you’re sleeping.”

            Mikey reached up to cover Raph’s hand. “How about when I’m splashing water on my face, or when I don’t wanna see the scary part in a movie? Can I close my eyes then?”

            “Shut up,” Raph said, leaning over and pressing a light kiss to Mikey’s lips.

            It was the kind of gentle gesture Raph rarely made and Mikey would have liked to enjoy it for a little while longer, but his brother suddenly jumped up and headed over to the door. Sliding it open just enough to look out, Raph watched the scenery fly by as he tried to get some idea of where they were.

            Within minutes Raph pulled the door shut and turned to kneel next to Mikey once more. The younger turtle saw a gleam in Raph’s eyes and wondered what had him so excited.

            “What gives?” Mikey asked.

            “We’re headed for Little Neck,” Raph told him.

            That was all he said and Mikey’s brow furrowed as he wondered how that could have gotten his brother so worked up. Raph was staring past Mikey’s head at the backpack, a faraway look in his eyes. Mikey remained silent, knowing that Raph was chasing an idea and would share it when he was ready.

            “Ya’ said Russo texts ya’ when he needs ya’, right?” Raph finally asked.

            “Yeah,” Mikey answered.

            “That means ya’ got his number,” Raph said. “I want ya’ ta send him a text and tell him these other mob guys shot ya’ and took the backpack. Tell him ya’ snuck into the back of one of their SUV’s and ya’ can’t talk or they’ll hear ya’, but that ya’ heard them say they’re headed for the Little Neck train station. Tell him you’re hurt pretty bad but if he hurries he might be able ta catch them and get his shipment back.”

            “O~kay,” Mikey said, catching onto Raph’s line of thought. “Let me guess. We get off the train before it stops at the station and find a way to turn this backpack over to the other guys without getting shot at again or making them suspicious.”

            Raph’s eyes twinkled with appreciation; one of his favorite things about Mikey was that his little brother caught on fast.

            “Exactly. We gotta time this so we don’t give ‘em the backpack before Russo’s guys have a chance ta get there,” Raph said.

            “We aren’t gonna just let them fight it out are we?” Mikey asked as he fished his shell cell out of his belt. “Innocent people might get hurt.”

            “That’s part of where the timing comes in,” Raph said. “We have ta call the cops and tell them a couple of gangs are loaded for bear and about ta shoot it out over a drug dispute. That call has ta happen after Russo gets ta town but before the gangs start blasting away.”

            Mikey thought for a minute and then said, “So maybe we don’t turn the backpack over to either of them. That’s a pretty old train station if I remember correctly. Couldn’t we like, hide it somewhere? Make them each think the other has it so they’ll stay put until the cops show up?”

            Raph’s grin said he liked the idea. “Kind of like sending them on a scavenger hunt where the prize is a good, long jail term.”

            “The best part is Russo will believe I had nothing to do with it when he realizes the drugs have been there the whole time,” Mikey said. “He’ll probably think I bought the farm.”

            “Best outcome possible,” Raph agreed. “Send that text. As soon as you’re done we’re getting off this train ‘cause it won’t be long before it rolls into the station.”

            As Mikey awkwardly typed out the message his imagination conjured up a picture of Russo’s expression upon receiving it. Mikey was chuckling by the time he hit send, delighting in the opportunity to pay his former employer back in kind for having tricked him.

            “Let’s get ya’ on your feet,” Raph said when Mikey was finished. Gripping Mikey’s free arm, Raph told him, “Up ya’ go.”

            Mikey knew better than to hop up too quickly after losing blood. Letting Raph’s muscles do the work, Mikey got his feet under him and Raph pulled him to a standing position.

            Almost immediately the train car started to spin and only Raph’s quick grab kept Mikey from falling over sideways.

            “Ya’ gonna be able ta make the jump?” Raph asked worriedly.

            “No sweat,” Mikey said. “I just gotta fall and roll. That seems like it’ll be pretty easy to do right now.”

            Raph gave him a hard look but Mikey extricated himself from Raph’s grip and walked over to the door without swaying. Keeping his eyes on his brother, Raph leaned down to grab the backpack, slipping it onto his shell before joining Mikey at the door.

            The train had begun to slow as it made its approach to the station. Knowing that Raph wouldn’t move until he did, Mikey took a deep breath and jumped, hitting the ground with his left shoulder. He rolled onto his hip and then dug his feet into the dirt to stop his momentum, taking care to keep his right shoulder elevated.

            Mikey heard the heavy thud of Raph’s landing not too far from him. Together they stood up and watched the train continue on its way.

            “This thing still on tight?” Raph asked, moving over to check Mikey’s sling. While he was at it he made sure the plugs hadn’t worked themselves loose.

            “Good as gold,” Mikey said.

            “Then let’s go.” Raph turned to lead the way, veering off from the train track and heading towards a dense growth of trees and underbrush. “We’re gonna come up behind the station using these woods as cover. That other gang is probably inside and all over the platform by now.”

            Mikey felt his phone vibrate and glanced down at his belt. Raph saw him and gave his brother a questioning look.

            “That’s probably Russo,” Mikey said. “I’ll save his message for later so I can have a good laugh.”

            They had gone about a half mile when they spotted the train station through the trees. Raph was setting an easy pace, not wanting Mikey to start bleeding again. He figured they had a little extra time after the train pulled in because the mob men would probably start searching it.

            Their progress had been silent up until that point but a sudden cacophony of barking broke the nights quiet. Two large dogs came barreling towards the pair of turtles, their tails up and fur bristling.

            Both dogs were baring their teeth as they rushed forward, neither looking inclined to stop until they had a mouthful of turtle skin. Mikey quickly pulled one of his nunchucks, already regretting what he’d have to do to the dogs just to avoid getting bitten.

            Mikey was about to swing when Raph jumped in front of him. The large turtle didn’t grab his weapons nor did he shout, he merely stood his ground and growled.

            The growl wasn’t especially loud but there was a distinct quality to it that sent a chill down Mikey’s spine. Apparently it had the same chilling effect on the dogs because both of them came to a sliding halt mere feet from the red banded ninja.

            Completely astonished, Mikey watched his brother stare down the vicious animals, issuing another deep almost other-worldly growl. One of the dogs whined and both tucked their tails, lowering their ears before spinning around to run away.

            “What the shell?” Mikey asked, looking from the fleeing dogs to Raph.

            Raph faced him and shrugged. “It’s an animal thing,” he said complacently.

            Mikey had to laugh. There was no creature he could think of that could match Raph’s ability to tap into their most untamed brutish nature the way that the hot head could.

            “I hope that barking didn’t tell the mob guys where we are,” Mikey said as Raph started for the train station once more.

            “Stay quiet and keep your eyes open just in case,” Raph said. “I doubt they paid attention ‘cause they don’t seem that smart, but I’d rather see them before they see us.”

            They reached the back of the train station without being accosted and stopped near a line of bushes, both squatting down to assess the situation. There was a ten foot clearing between the woods and the building and although they didn’t see any men in the area, there were windows along the back of the station.

            On either end of the station was a pair of small parking lots. The one to the east was empty, but the one on the west side held three vehicles; a town car and two SUV’s.

            “Looks like the first half of the party is here,” Raph whispered. “I figure Russo left his place about two minutes after ya’ sent him that message and that he most likely ain’t worried about speeding tickets. Don programmed all of the New York police precincts into our phones and the one eleven is closest. Call ‘em now and put those acting skills of yours ta good use.”

            “Gotcha,” Mikey said, backing out of hearing range of the station as he placed the call. As soon as someone answered the phone, Mikey pitched his voice high and proceeded to give an award winning interpretation of a panicked citizen. He dropped Russo’s name as he talked, saying he’d seen the man on television and knew he was a gangster.

            When the officer asked for his name, Mikey quickly said he didn’t want to be involved and hung up. It was an extra touch of authenticity that Mikey found amusing since no citizen ever wanted to be ‘involved’.

            “I mentioned Russo,” Mikey said as he crawled up next to where Raph was waiting. “That should get them moving.”

            “Speaking of moving, I see headlights coming down 39th street,” Raph said. “That’s probably your former employer now. Come on, let’s head around to the east side of the building and work our way underneath the platform. It’s dark under there and they won’t spot us, but we’ll be able ta see and hear everything. I’ve got an idea for how we can get things started.”

            They held to the bushes, staying low as they crept to the east side of the building. They could hear voices coming from the front of the station but didn’t see anyone, so both of the turtles darted into the open and quickly pressed themselves against the side of the building.

            Raph signaled for Mikey to stay put and then eased up to the corner of the station. Peering around it, he saw that the three man train crew had been tied up and left near the entrance to the building.

            On the platform were several of the mob men, their guns drawn as they stared at the train. Inside the train were a few more, all of them searching for the turtles.

            There was a sudden shout and one of the men inside the car where the brothers had been came rushing to the open door, holding up a hand smeared with tomato sauce.

            “They was here!” he announced loudly.

            That was Raph’s cue to move. He motioned for Mikey to join him and then both of them made a dash for the platform while the mob guys were focused on the train car.

            The space under the platform was a tight fit for the two tallest brothers and they found it worked better if they lay flat on their plastrons. Raph maneuvered the backpack off his shell and Mikey watched as he opened it and took out the can he’d previously opened.

            Flashing a grin at his little brother, Raph removed the undamaged heroin baggie, leaving the other inside the can.

            “Be right back,” Raph whispered, leaving Mikey to wonder what he was up to.

            Raph crawled towards the area where the mobsters were standing. When he was near the ticket booth that was located on the west end of the building, he set the can containing the damaged baggie on the ground out in the open. The other baggie he placed on top of the platform, dropping back out of sight as four SUV’s came flying into the parking lot.

            The sound of the new arrivals drew the attention of the first group of gangsters and Raph heard one of them yell something. A rapid pounding of feet over his head told Raph that they’d spotted the baggie.

            “I found one boss!” a man said with excitement.

            “Gimme that,” another snarled and Raph recognized it as the voice of the gunman who’d shot Mikey.

            Headlights suddenly flashed on the scene and Raph had to lunge backwards to keep from being illuminated by them. Taking a chance, he put his head out just enough to see the parking lot.

            “I think you got something that belongs ta me, Costa,” Russo said in as nasty a tone as Raph had ever heard.

            Behind him were a good twenty men.   A sound from the tracks drew Raph’s attention and he crawled to the other side of his hiding place, peering out at the train.

            On top of it were a dozen men and another handful stood in the doorways of four of the rail cars.

            Raph had no idea how many of Costa’s men were on the platform with him, but he guessed it was a fair number. The two sides seemed evenly matched and Raph hoped that the police had taken Mikey’s call seriously.

            “Whatever I got is mine, Russo,” Costa snapped back, “and you ain’t taking it from me.”

            “Wanna bet?” Russo said.

            The sound of multiple automatic weapons being readied sent an icy jolt through Raph’s bloodstream and he started moving backwards as fast as he could.

            In his haste Raph was less than cautious.

            “Hey, there’s someone under the platform!”

TBC……….


	6. Final

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 3,704  
> Summary: Raphael discovers that Michelangelo is leaving the lair at night without telling anyone, but his evasive younger brother won't tell him what is going on.  
> Pairing: Raph/Mikey   
> part 6 Rated: NC-17 TCest, language, violence, adult concepts

            Raph grimaced and silently cursed his clumsiness. He could hear Master Splinter’s voice in his head, reminding them that one minute of inattention could get them killed.

            It was a good thing Master Splinter wasn’t the kind to say ‘I told you so’, not that Raph was likely to be around to hear it anyway.

            “Trying to pull a fast one huh Russo?” Costa shouted. “Here’s what we do to sneaky sons of bitches. Blast that bastard!”

            Raph dug his toes into the ground, deciding that a mad dash for the underside of the train was his best bet. Hyper aware, he could hear the bullets being chambered, each one with his name on it.

            A sudden shrill whistle startled Raph and drew shouts from the mobsters. Something hit the ground near the crossing arm, landing right between the two mob families with a loud bang.

            Raph heard the sound of metal cans rolling on pavement and flattened himself on the ground so that he could see around the platform pillars. Lying on the pavement was the black backpack, its zipper open and its contents spilling out.

            “Get that bag!” Russo shouted to his men.

            “Grab it!” Costa yelled at the same moment.

            Men raced across the platform towards the backpack filled with drugs, their quarry underneath the wooden boards forgotten. Raph took the opportunity to spin around and crawl back to where he’d left Mikey, though he knew his brother was no longer waiting there.

            When he reached the spot where Mikey was supposed to be, Raph wasn’t surprised to find it unoccupied. Inching his way out from under the platform, Raph looked all around but still didn’t see his brother.

            “Psst!”

            Raph’s head snapped back at the sound and he located Mikey, who was standing on the train station’s high pitched roof. Having no idea how Mikey managed to get up there without the use of his immobilized right arm, Raph glowered at him.

            “That’s a shell of a way to thank someone for keeping your butt from being blown off,” Mikey said in a low voice, a grin plastering his face.

            Crossing quickly to the side of the building where he wouldn’t be seen, Raph said, “Jump down and I’ll catch ya’. If ya’ pulled those plugs loose I’m gonna pound _your_ butt.”

            As he waited for Mikey to get into position, Raph heard the sounds of a major scuffle and could guess that a massive fist fight had broken out over that backpack. As long as the two gangs continued to ignore their guns and simply pummel each other, Raph was happy.

            Mikey executed a perfect drop into Raph’s waiting arms, carefully keeping his injured side as stable as possible. With his left arm wrapped around Raph’s neck, Mikey said, “Could you pound my butt anyway? I’m sure I deserve it.”

            Raph pursed his lips and abruptly dropped Mikey’s feet to the ground. Slightly red faced, he changed the subject by saying, “Your acting ain’t for shit. The cops ain’t coming.”

            Before Mikey could respond to that, the wail of sirens cut through the night. Flashing lights seemed to come from every direction at once and the turtles made a dive for the woods, cutting through the heavy underbrush until they were well hidden from view.

            They were just in time as a pair of helicopters stopped overhead, hovering there with their searchlights illuminating the entirety of the train station.

            “What were you saying about my acting?” Mikey asked, his mouth near the side of Raph’s head.

            “Shut up,” Raph told him gruffly, hiding the grin that threatened to give him away.

            “THROW YOUR WEAPONS DOWN AND KEEP YOURS HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!”

           The blast of the loudspeaker added another layer of force to the already authoritative voice of the police official. Raph hoped like hell that seasoned pros like Russo and Costa would know when it was time to lose the guns in favor of using their lawyers.

            Whatever happened, it seemed like a good time for he and Mikey to make themselves scarce. Once law enforcement had the visible group of gangsters under control, they’d start searching the entire area for stragglers and additional contraband.

            “It’s the Drug Enforcement Agency,” Mikey whispered, recognizing the vests some of the officers were wearing. “That’s what took them so long; the cops had to wait for the DEA.”

            “Well we’re not waiting for them,” Raph said, inching backwards. “This is where we make an exit.”

            Both of the turtles used extra caution in moving away from the train station, doing so as quickly as absolute stealth would allow. The wooded area was quite large; a barrier between the trains and the residential neighborhoods that had grown up around the tracks.

            Raph had a particular purpose in mind as he angled towards the homes that he knew were nearby. He didn’t attempt to go near any of them that were within audible range of the activity at the train station, fearing that all of the noise might have awakened the residents.

            Instead he led Mikey on a path that put distance between them and the drug bust. Periodically glancing over at his brother, Raph tried to gauge how Mikey was doing. Each time the younger turtle met his brother’s eye he smiled, but Raph could see how drawn Mikey’s face looked and knew he was hurting.

            Mikey didn’t want to admit that he was tired or that his entire body ached because he didn’t want to worry Raph, but after a couple of miles he started to lag behind. He knew he’d lost blood and that wasn’t helping his efforts to keep up either.

            “I just have one question Raph,” Mikey said as they trudged through the woods. “The DEA are gonna have the trains shut down for a while, so how are we getting home?”

            “We sure ain’t hoofing it,” Raph replied. “Not with your shoulder the way it is. And don’t even suggest that I carry ya’.”

            Mikey’s mouth had opened to say exactly that and he switched to a grin. “Still doesn’t solve our problem.”

            “No, but that does,” Raph said, pointing to a driveway filled with vehicles. “We’re going ta borrow a ride. I doubt if they’ll miss one any time soon.”

            “You’re gonna take somebody’s car? Without permission? I think Leo would call that stealing,” Mikey said, a humorous note in his voice.

            “It ain’t stealing if it’s a legitimate emergency and if ya’ make sure the car gets returned,” Raph said, stopping behind a line of shrubbery. He scanned the area around the home, looking for dogs, alarms, or signs that someone inside was awake. “Since Leo ain’t here, I don’t have ta argue the finer points. Give me a piece of that paper and the pencil ya’ always carry around with ya’.”

            Mikey dug into his belt and then handed over the requested items. Peering around Raph’s shoulder, he saw that Raph was writing a note apologizing for borrowing the truck and giving the owner an address where he could retrieve the vehicle.

            “We’re taking the truck?” Mikey asked.

            “Yeah,” Raph said, handing the pencil back to his brother. “It sits higher up so it’s harder for other drivers ta look into and the windows are tinted. Stay here while I hot wire the thing; I’ll pull around ta get ya’.”

            Watching as Raph slipped out of hiding and made his way over to the truck in question, Mikey realized he was enjoying the way his brother was taking charge of their situation. He always knew Raph could be protective and thoughtful, Mikey had just never seen him display such mature capability.

            Raph deposited the note under the wiper blade on one of the cars and then tried the door on the truck. It was locked, but by sliding the tip of his sai inside the door panel, he was able to pop the lock open.

            On an off chance Raph checked to see if the keys were on top of the sun visor, but of course they weren’t. As he leaned down to reach for the wires, he had one more thought and dipped his hand under the driver’s seat, finding nothing, and then reached under the seat on the passenger’s side.

            His fingers encountered something solid and when he pulled it out, Raph had the truck keys. Grinning triumphantly, he started the ignition and backed quickly out of the driveway.

            Mikey was right there when Raph started down the street, hopping into the truck without waiting for it to come to a full stop. He turned in the seat to watch behind them as Raph sped off, but there was no indication that anyone had seen them, so apparently they’d made a clean getaway.

            With a sigh of relief, Mikey leaned back and closed his eyes. Raph reached over and set the controls to a comfortable temperature and then dialed in a music station, keeping the volume low. He saw Mikey’s head loll back against the head rest and then turned his attention back to the task of driving.

            A while later, Raph turned into their own neighborhood without having encountered anymore problems and pulled the truck into a lot where he knew it would be safe until the owners could come and retrieve it.

            When Raph cut the engine off, Mikey sat up and blinked. “Raph?”

            “We’re here,” Raph told him. He fished a twenty dollar bill from his belt and asked, “Ya’ got any cash on ya’?”

            “Yeah.” Mikey handed him a couple more bills and Raph wrapped the keys in them, sliding them farther back under the passenger seat.

            “That should pay for the gas we used,” Raph said. “How ya’ doing?”

            “Stiff,” Mikey answered honestly, “but I feel better. Let’s go home.”

            Entering the sewers through a nearby access tunnel, the brothers walked towards the lair. After a few minutes of silence, Raph said, “I ain’t going ta tell them what ya’ got into.”

            Startled, Mikey looked at him. “They’re gonna see I got shot, Raph.”

            “I know that, nut ball,” Raph said. “We can make up some story that won’t get Leo so hot under the shell.”

            Mikey thought about it for a minute and then said, “Nah. I screwed up and I can take my lumps for it. Besides, we don’t know what’s gonna happen with Russo. Leo and Don need to know that the guy has another really good reason to hate us.”

            “That’s pretty wise, bro’,” Raph said, offering Mikey a smile.

            Mikey made a face. “If I get shot enough I might graduate to smart.” Raph’s chuckle made him smile in return. “Hey, I appreciate you offering to cover up for me.”

            Raph waved it off. “No sweat. That’s what brothers do.”

            By then they’d reached the lair. Glancing at each other, they both drew a deep breath and entered; exhaling their anxiety upon seeing that everyone else was still asleep.

            “Infirmary,” Raph said in a low voice, nodding in that direction before starting towards it.

            Mikey followed and dutifully jumped up on the exam table. He watched as Raph gathered the things he needed to properly tend to Mikey’s wound and could tell from his older brother’s expression that Raph had questions.

            It was only after he’d started to clean his brother’s injury that Raph softly asked, “Why did ya’ need the extra cash, Mikey? Ain’t ya’ got everything ya’ need?”

            Thinking about the best way to answer that question, Mikey countered with a question of his own. “Did you like the ham I baked the other day?”

            Raph looked up from his work, the gleam in his eyes telling Mikey that his brother knew where that question was leading. “Yeah, I liked the ham. I can also live without the fancy ham.”

            “Sure you could, just like I can live without the latest game release,” Mikey said. “I just didn’t want to have to anymore.” He was quiet for a second. “It bothers me to see Donny working so hard to fix something without the right tools. It kinda hurts to watch Leo melting stubs of candles just to get enough wax to make one new one. It’d be awesome if sensei had a pillow that was new and soft, instead of stained and lumpy. Then there’s you.”

            Affixing the last bandage, Raph placed his fists on the table to either side of Mikey’s legs and leaned over his brother. “Just what do ya’ think I need that’s worth ya’ risking your life over?”

            “First off, I didn’t think I was risking my life,” Mikey said pointedly. “If I had I’d have found another way to make some money. Secondly I wanted to buy you a hammock.”

            Raph gawked at him. “What the shell, Mikey. I already have a damn hammock.”

            Wiggling uncomfortably, Mikey said, “Not a six foot wide one with brand new rope that doesn’t bust when you put your weight on it.”

            “If it busts, it busts,” Raph argued. “I don’t even think about it.”

            “Well I do.” Mikey gazed into his brother’s eyes. “I think about all that stuff and it eats at me. Just ‘cause we can’t live the way the humans do doesn’t mean we can’t have anything that’s nice and new; something that wasn’t already thrown away because it was considered junk.”

            “I’ve got everything that’s important ta me,” Raph said. “I’ve got a warm, safe place ta live, I’ve got food and running water, and I’ve got my family. I’ve got _you_.”

            “But don’t you sometimes want to open something that no one else has ever touched?” Mikey asked. “Smell the new scent coming out of a package? Run your hands over something that isn’t chipped and tarnished? Every time you’d lay down on your new hammock you’d think about that.”

            “Ya’ don’t build strong memories by buying stuff,” Raph told him. “Ya’ build ‘em by doing things together. My best memories are about the things I do with you guys; the training, playing tag, going on picnics, helping Don modify the Battle Shell. Stuff like that.”

            Mikey pushed his bottom lip out, faking a pout. “But if you had a bigger hammock I could share it with you.”

            Raph cuffed him on the back of the head lightly. “So we’ll build a new one together. I just kept patching the old one ‘cause I was too lazy to get off my ass and make myself a replacement. We can find perfectly good parts and new rope so it’ll be almost like I pulled it out of a box.”

            “Then can we test it?” Mikey asked impishly.

            “Damn straight we’ll test it,” Raph said, pressing a kiss to Mikey’s lips. “We’ll test the shell out of it. That’s the kind of memory I want.”

            Raph stepped back before Mikey had a chance to follow up on the kiss. Lips tingling, Mikey watched as Raph filled a syringe.

            “What’s that?” Mikey asked when Raph returned to his side.

            “Sedative,” Raph said. “Ya’ need ta sleep without rolling around the way ya’ usually do.”

            Mikey felt the pinch as Raph administered the shot. That done, Raph replaced the makeshift sling that was on Mikey’s arm with a pre-made one from Don’s supply cabinet, tucking his mask into his belt rather than putting it back on.

            “Come on, bed time,” Raph said, helping Mikey hop down from the table. “I’ll sleep with ya’ so I can make sure ya’ don’t start running a fever.”

            By the time they made it to the stairs, Mikey’s legs were starting to feel heavy. Raph put his shoulder against Mikey’s carapace as a brace as he maneuvered the younger turtle up the staircase and into his own room.

            Getting Mikey into his bed, Raph removed his brother’s gear and then his own before climbing in next to him. The glow from the small night light bounced off of the blue in Mikey’s eyes as he stared at his older brother.

            “I owe you big time,” Mikey whispered wistfully. “Are you mad at me?”

            As always Raph found he couldn’t resist Mikey’s allure. “No. Your heart was in the right place, you’re just a little gullible.”

            Mikey’s lips curved upwards. “That’s the second time I’ve made you worry. I need to make amends.”

            Raph snorted. “It’s gonna take more than a blow job ta make this up ta me,” he said. “We’ll negotiate a settlement after ya’ get better.”

            Trying to lie still as the effects of the sedative started to make him sleepy, Mikey began having another reaction as well. Wriggling is hips, Mikey ground his tail against the sheets before saying, “I wanna start now.”

            Raph had turned his face up to the ceiling but now he rolled his head so he could look at Mikey again. “Ya’ need ta sleep, Michelangelo.”

            “I can’t help it,” Mikey said as his legs drifted apart. “I get horny when I’m sleepy.”

            “Ya’ have got ta be shittin’ me,” Raph said, noticing how warm his brother had suddenly become.

            “I’m not,” Mikey said, the words turning into a churr. “I think it’s the stuff in that sedative.”

            “Ya’ ain’t in any condition ta be messing around,” Raph told him, although Mikey’s movements were starting to have a profound effect on his groin.

            “It won’t bother my wound if I keep my upper half still,” Mikey said. With a groan, he dropped down, already semi-hard. “Please Raphie, I need to feel your big dick inside me.”

            “Damn Mikey,” Raph groaned. His brother knew how worked up he got when Mikey talked dirty.

            “Lube’s in the drawer,” Mikey said, stroking the side of Raph’s leg with his toes.

            “Ya’ ain’t going ta sleep until I do this, are ya’?” Raph asked, his voice deepening.

            “I got a problem here bro’,” Mikey pointed out somewhat unnecessarily as his cock bobbed with each movement. “Don’t make me have to jack off; that’ll force me to move my shoulder.”

            “I could just do that for ya’,” Raph suggested.

            “Uh uh,” Mikey said. “I want the real thing. Unless you’re on top of me I might jump up from the excitement.”

            “You’re seriously warped,” Raph fussed, though it was without rancor. Giving up the argument, he crawled between Mikey’s spread legs, reaching into the drawer on the bedside table and retrieving the lube.

            As he prepped Mikey, who was churring happily and anxiously lifting his pelvis into the air, Raph growled lustily, telling him, “Settle down, shell for brains.”

            “Come on, Raphie,” Mikey moaned. “Get me off.”

            The libidinous tone of Mikey’s voice was too much for him and Raph released his cock into the open, stroking it a few times until it was a proper erection.

            Lining himself up with Mikey’s waiting entrance; Raph swiftly impaled his brother who practically purred with joy. Looming over his brother so that Mikey couldn’t move, Raph began to shallowly thrust, building up speed as Mikey adapted to the large intrusion.

            “Harder,” Mikey urged, panting as Raph reached down to stroke the younger turtle’s solid shaft. “I won’t break.”

            A joyful laugh erupted from Raph, who followed Mikey’s order by plunging his entire length into his sibling. He knew he’d found Mikey’s sweet spot when the younger turtle’s hips jerked against him.

            “Yes, yes, oh yes,” Mikey rasped. “There, just there. Raph . . . Raphie . . . . Raphael!”

            On that final high pitched note Mikey came, his semen rushing in a hot torrent to cover Raph’s fist. The wanton sound of his own name on Mikey’s lips and the way his ass squeezed around Raph’s cock was all it took to set Raph off. With a sharp cry he climaxed into Mikey’s body, his hips moving until he’d completely emptied himself.

            “Shit,” Raph said, head down and eyes closed. His heart was thumping in his chest and he was gasping for breath.

            “Thanks Raphie,” Mikey whispered.

            Opening his eyes to look down at his brother, Raph wasn’t surprised to see that Mikey was out cold. Chuckling, he pulled out of Mikey’s ass, tucking himself away before also taking care of Mikey’s penis.

            Lowering himself down, Raph touched Mikey’s lips with his own before rolling over next to him. After several minutes of simply watching Mikey sleep, Raph finally did the same.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Mikey did a fine job of confessing his secret to the rest of his family. Raph stood by his side while the younger turtle told his story, Raph’s expression daring anyone, including their father, to upbraid Mikey for his bad judgment but otherwise good intentions.

            Surprisingly no one offered the youngest turtle chastisement. Master Splinter said that he believed Mikey had learned a valuable lesson and it was one they could all gain something from. He had kissed Mikey’s head and told his son that he felt touched by Mikey’s desire to make his family happy but that he hoped the young turtle would be more prudent in the future.

            Russo and Costa went to jail, along with a large number of their minions. Even their high priced lawyers couldn’t convince a jury that the two weren’t into drug trafficking once the prosecution had shown a video of them fighting over the heroin and loudly proclaiming their ownership.

            With a minor bit of help from Don, Raph and Mikey built a new, large hammock for Raph’s bedroom. After setting it up, the pair had happily given it a test drive – several test drives to be exact. The hammock had received a lusty seal of approval.

            Neither Leo nor Don protested the increasing scarcity of their interludes with Mikey. It had always been obvious to them that the pair of brightly banded brothers preferred each other’s company, even if Mikey and Raph hadn’t realized it.

            As always, Mikey was happy to have Raph all to himself and even more delighted that after so much time he could still get his brother to blush. For his part, Raph was equally as happy to ensure that after Mikey committed even the slightest infraction his youngest brother had to make it up to him.

The End


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